Ash Gourd Recipe | Ash Gourd Thoran
This Ash Gourd Recipe is a Kerala Cuisine dish known as Ash Gourd Thoran. It features ash gourd cooked in coconut oil with a blend of onions, spices, herbs, and is topped off with grated coconut.
Ingredients
- 200 grams ash gourd (kumbalanga or white gourd or petha or winter melon) – peeled and chopped
- ⅓ cup finely chopped onions or 1 medium-sized onion
- 1 green chili – chopped finely or ½ teaspoon, chopped
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds – optional
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 12 to 15 curry leaves
- ½ cup fresh grated coconut
- 1 to 1.5 tablespoons coconut oil
- salt as required
Instructions
- Rinse the ash gourd. Peel and later chop the ash gourd and keep them ready with the chopped onions and green chili. Remove the seeds from the ash gourd.
- In a pan, heat the coconut oil. Add the mustard seeds and when they pop add the cumin seeds.
- When the cumin seeds sizzle in the hot oil add the onions. Sauté the onions till transparent on medium-low heat.
- Add the curry leaves and green chilli. Sauté for a few seconds.
- Now add the ash gourd.
- Add the turmeric powder and saute for a minute.
- Cover the pan and let the ash gourd cook in its own juices. Do not add water as ash gourd has enough water in it.Cook for 7 to 8 minutes till the ash gourd is almost done. Then add the grated coconut.
- Mix the coconut well with the veggie. Add salt and cook covered for a couple of minutes.
- Serve ash gourd thoran as a side dish or with dal and rice or sambar and rice. You can also have this dish with chapati.
Notes
- Try to make this dish in coconut oil for the authentic flavor and taste. If you do not prefer coconut oil, then use any neutral flavored oil.
- Instead of green chilies, you can use dried red chillies or both. Remove the seeds from the dried red chillies.
- Make sure the white pumpkin is fresh and in season.
- While cooking, if the pumpkin starts sticking to the pan, add a splash of water. Mix well and continue to cook.
- Feel free to add less or more of the fresh grated coconut as needed. Frozen grated coconut can be added instead of fresh coconut.
- Scale the recipe to make for more servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 1gFat: 12gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 443mgPotassium: 115mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
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